Disclaimer: Runs forward… leaps! Misses. Fall. Hits head. *pain*. Still own nothing.
A/N: I am such an utter FAILURE! But I am going to be honest the most resent reviews gave me a reason to start this chapter. It just took me a long time to finish it. Anyway… in all honestly reviews feed the monster under the bed, and when he is kept occupied then I am able to write more. So help distract the monster and feed him reviews!
Chapter 14: So Close
"Sir! There is a ship on the shore!" The voice from above hit Elizabeth like a pile of bricks. Barkwicke's past words echoed in her mind.
"And on the shores of that island there is a ship, or is going to be a ship filled with men. Men witch I am going to kill so that I can summon the Flying Dutchman."
Elizabeth grimaced, nothing good was going to come out of any of this. There was sure to be bloodshed and too much of it. When she was younger the sight of blood had made her feel sick, and now (though she had killed more people than she wanted to think about) death and blood was still something that still made her stomach twist. This too, coming from the woman married to the man who ferried the dead souls to the underworld.
As she sat lost in her thoughts, the sound of footsteps made her turn. While she had been lost in thought a man had come down from the deck and now stood before her looking quite disheveled. His brown hair flecked with grey was matted and the bottle in his hands had a cracked rim. His eyes were drooping and he looked as though he would fall over any moment if it hadn't been for his hand resting heavy on the bars to her cage.
"Captain, wanzt to see ya'll." He slurred with a hiccup. Elizabeth wrinkled her nose at the disgusting display. The man grinned back at her shuffling for the key. Knowing that she was going to be forced above deck Elizabeth straightened her shoulders and lifted her head high, she would not be intimidated.
The man before her guffawed at her display of bravery and pushed the key into the lock. Or should we say tried to push the key into the lock. He missed several times. But on the fifth time the drunk did manage to get the metal interment into the hole and proceeded to pull the door open. As he opened the cell door he took a swig from the bottle, and then promptly fell over.
Elizabeth froze. This was an interesting development. But before she could make a definitive decision on what to do she heard more footsteps and a voice calling for someone to "Make sure that drunken oaf gets the prisoner up before winter"
Elizabeth was unsure of what to do. She had a moment to collect herself, something she was not expecting. With a jump she quickly she reached down and pulled out the man's gun, hiding it in her skirts. The knife she had stolen when she had first arrived had been taken by Jack when he had still been on the ship, and by now was at the bottom of the ocean. Then she grabbed the key to her cell from the unconscious man and pushed it up her sleeve. Then she turned just as another man's feet appeared.
This man was short, with thick arms and legs and a face that said 'don't mess with me'. Elizabeth knew how to deal with these men and stood up tall as he approached.
"Oy!" exclaimed the pirate peering at his fallen comrade before looking at Elizabeth with a stern glare. "What ye do to him?"
"Nothing" Elizabeth stated defiantly "He passed out."
The man grumbled to himself something that sounded like "More than likely" before walking over to the woman. He kicked the drunk who hiccupped then grabbed Elizabeth's arm leading her above onto the sun strewn deck.
Elizabeth had to blink a few times before she was able to see properly, the sun was shining so bright it would blind anyone, Elizabeth locked in the dark cell for a day stood no chance.
Once her vision was cleared however, she thought she would have rather been blind. Barwicke was standing tall in the sun; the smirk covering his face was enough to make even the strongest man shiver.
The Captain was looking through a telescope and as Elizabeth turned she saw for the first time the island that had been sighted. It was a small grey island that seemed to be made out of a bunch of smaller mountains. And though it was extremely hard to make out Elizabeth saw the ship resting on the beach. She felt her stomach sink. There was a ship and if Will didn't come then everyone on the ship would be killed.
"You see my dear, just as I said." Barwicke looked at Elizabeth with contempt. "I hope you have thought of a better way of summoning your husband than the last time."
Elizabeth said nothing and Barwicke lend in close to her ear. His hot disgusting breath made her feel sick as it tickled her ear "For in about three hours we will be close enough to fire."
(W)(T)(W)(B)
"Captain, we won't be able t' set sail till the tide changes." Gibbs said in concern. Everyone on the island had noticed that the approaching ship was coming at an extremely fast, not at the leisurely pace that assumes friendship. No, this ship looked ready for war, the guns glinting through the sides could be seen even at this distance.
Barbossa didn't answer, he just growled at the approaching ship before lifting his spyglass and examining the ship. "They be lifting the colors." He said after a moment.
The flags on the approaching ship where ones that Barbossa had never seen before. White bones made a border and then created an X with sculls at the meeting points.
"I don't recognize them flags Captain." Said Gibbs worry coloring his voice. "Should we run up the white-" The man did not get to finish his statement cut off by his captain who was glaring at the coming ship.
"Then prepare te' gun! Lift th' colors! We can fight then from th' land!" Barbossa called to the crew. Screams of agreement came forth until and they all rushed to the Pearl climbing up her sides.
The ship herself was in about seven feet of water, not enough to lift the massive boat from the sandy floor. This would not change for hours when the tide would rush in lifting the ship from the base.
Once aboard the vessel there was much yelling and running, but Barbossa stood at the helm looking at the approaching ship. His bones where rattling, his dead heart pulsing a warning.
(W)(T)(W)(B)
Jack Sparrow was not really one for hiding. But then again he wasn't really hiding since he was just standing on the rigging behind the large sail and only partly concealed. As he watched the panic below him with a raised eyebrow he thought of his next plan.
"Come on now mate you have a scull to get to."
As always the miniature Jacks' were back. This problem of seeing himself in duplicate forms had been present ever since his little trip to Davy Jones locker, for the most part they didn't really bother Jack, but sometimes…
"Can't leave the girl, she will be needing yu'r help."
"Since when have you cared about some girl? Besides she will be fine on the British ship, they won't hurt one of their own."
"Remember mate, letting the daughter of the captain of the Flying Dutchman die, might not be in your best interests… Turner is not the most forgiving ay?"
"Damn" muttered Jack examining his fingernails before looking out to sea where the pirate ship could be seen.
From below voice rose up to meet Jack's ears. "Captain tis a pirate ship! I can see their flags sir!"
Then Minors voice was booming "A pirate ship!" and though Jack could not see the man he could tell from the satisfaction in his voice that Minor had just found what he was looking for. "Bring out that girl!"
(W)(T)(W)(B)
Jonathan heard Minor's cry and turned to the girl at his side. Nichole's face was hard to read for all the emotions flitting across it but Jonathan noticed one above all:
Relief.
This was the ship her mother was on.
"Come on." He said to the girl taking her hand. He pulled her a little before she let out a soft
"Wait, we can't let him be caught."
Jonathan turned to look back at her, and then noticed him. He was a small boy, about Nichole's own age. He was crouched down behind the girl. Jonathan's brain left him for a moment as he tried to piece everything together.
The girl was hiding a stowaway on Captain Minor's ship.
This day just got better and better.
He looked into the face of the boy for a moment intent on pulling him to his feet and dragging him onto the deck, but then he saw something in the boy's eyes that made him stop.
For a moment he and the boy just started at each other. Then Jonathan cursed and whispered fiercely "Stay here, don't get caught" before tugging a little more forcefully on Nichole's arm and dragging her out on the deck.
When they reached Minor he was staring through a spy glass at a ship some distance off.
He turned when he saw Jonathan and Nichole approaching and said in a harsh tone "Is that the ship you are from girl?"
Nichole squinted out at the sea feeling rather worried. The ship was hard to see from his distance, but it did look like the one she had been flung off of.
"I-I think so sir." She said rather quietly looking everywhere but into Minors' staring eyes.
Minor grinned when he heard this confession and said, his voice filled with malice. "Good."
Then he turned on his heel and shouted up to the men "I want to catch up to that pirate ship by nightfall, and if not it t'will be whipping for all of you. Get moving."
Men scattered around the deck in a frenzy. Nichole stood beside Jonathan looking out to the ship, hoping against hope that her mother was still there. Still alive.
(W)(T)(W)(B)
Dale pulled the rope hard, but it wouldn't budge. With a frustrated sigh he looked up to the mast. It was stuck on something hidden behind the sail. In annoyance Dale turned quickly and crashed, directly into the captain.
"Sorry Captain." Dale said with a sheepish grin.
The Captain gave him a smile, but he seemed to be distracted. This was nothing new; William Turner's mind always seemed to be elsewhere…
My sincere apologies for the bad editing, but its been one of those times… lets just say that I have been missing lots of school and have had a lot of doctors appointments. So editing is one of the last concerns I have. Sorry.
I probably would have done a better job if I had not wanted to get this chapter out to you so very badly! I feel awful about the long wait I have given you but please forgive and and pop me a review. They would really cheer me up, and believe me when I say I need something that will make me smile.
So please review! And If you have any idea (besides the whole 'make Will show up!' cause seriously people he is coming, I promise, we just need to reach that moment… ) I would gladly put them in!
Oh and thanks to: Gabriella Somerfield, AddictedtoFICS , LoverandaFighter, turtlelover0511 and Hp twiheart
The review respond thingy appears to be broken but thanks for all the reviews! Especially the recent ones which really pushed me to get this chapter to you!